These pictures are from way back in October, but it's good to have a little October left over when it's dark and cold outside.
• Speaking of the dark, cold world, the Marriott Center got remodeled with new seats, so we had to have our BYU Basketball season tickets reassigned. And because of the selection process, we weren't able to get our new seats anywhere near where our seats are supposed to be. Now we're on the other side of the court…higher up…to the right. Look, I KNOW this isn't the biggest deal in the world. But my dad has had those seats since the Marriott Center was built, and they were our seats. I've been watching BYU basketball from them for 30 years! When we went to the first game the other night, I actually felt this physical heaviness, like something precious had been lost forever. I kept getting tears in my eyes. Lame, huh? It didn't help that we were sitting next to a 14-year-old boy who (as Bertie Wooster says) made you feel that what this country wants is somebody like King Herod.
• I also note the absurdity of saying "I'm just gonna sneak past you" as you squeeze past everyone along the row to get to your seats. No…no, you're not really going to "sneak past me." But go ahead!
• How is it that every search I do on Amazon ends up with pages and pages of iPhone cases at the bottom of it?
• Sam referred to the condition of our children "sitting" on the pew at church as "The Human Abacus." Strikingly accurate.
Well, they aren't very cheerful random thoughts, are they? We will perk them up with some more pictures:
This was such a lovely day. It was one of those peaceful, unhurried days when we didn't have to be anywhere (because we already were somewhere, if you follow me…waiting while the big boys finished choir rehearsal, so we couldn't feel that we ought actually to be somewhere else) and the air was still warm under the trees, and all the children just busied themselves with sticks and rocks and dirt and little funny, mysterious games. Teddy even fell asleep in his stroller for awhile, which was miraculous.
The leaves were so bright against the dark pines!
The moment I looked at Malachi sitting on this rock, I knew he was pretending to be a birdie. Something in his expression.
Yellow reflection on the water
Scared of the troll
The sun started to go down behind the canyon walls as the kids played by the water, and it was making me feel all aching and sentimental: "As this light fades, so does this time of childhood fade and quickly die…." You know…cheerful stuff like that.
It's startling, the difference after the sun goes down. Above, with the sunlight coming through those yellow leaves, it's almost magical. Once the dusk falls…still pretty, but…something is lost.
Well. On the way home, we were treated to this view. I'm glad we live far enough from "the city" that we can happen upon scenes like this from time to time!
Oh the basketball seats!!! A very sad loss. I know it. What is it with tiny specks of . . . space that they can become attached with SO much significance? A house, a spot of land, even a group of stadium seats. There are so many physical spaces in this world that, when they somehow aren't mine anymore, I feel utterly weepy over.
ReplyDeletePhysical spaces are interesting. The veil feels very thin to me so I wasn't that upset when my grandparents died, but now that my uncle is tearing down their house--I just can't think about it very long. Perhaps it is extra painful because we moved so often that my grandparents' houses were the only houses that never changed during my childhood? I don't know. I just know the loss is far more painful than I ever would have guessed.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Elder Bednar's Increase in Learning? So much I'd love to discuss with you.
This post was a saddie but a goodie.
ReplyDeleteNancy and Andrea, it's surprisingly comforting to me to hear you sympathize. Yes! There is something about those physical spaces. I was really feeling like it was SUCH a silly thing to be mourning over, but…I just was. Am. There are so many other memories and emotions all tied up together with that space! Andrea, I haven't read it, but I should! I do love Elder Bednar.
ReplyDeleteSam: Just like that baby.